At the beginning of the summer, our executive director, Jamila Hodge, sat on a panel in a crowded gymnasium in Newark talking about transforming the justice system. “The system is going to do what it’s going to do,” she said. “It is a machine, and it was built for a purpose, and that was to… Continue reading Imagining the Possibility of Safety
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In Grief, She Took Action
We lost a member of the EJUSA family last week. Bonnita Spikes was a force, a fierce and fearless organizer whose impact on communities across Maryland and beyond is immeasurable. Every time Bonnita told her story, people listened. Her strategic vision, her warmth, and her persistence helped to end the death penalty in Maryland and… Continue reading In Grief, She Took Action
What Is Trauma-Informed Policing?
Six Newark, NJ, residents and five police officers sit in a semi-circle in a local community center. They’re listening as a Black man, mid forties, recounts a tale of being hit in the head by a police officer as a teenager while hanging out with his friends after school. As he finishes his story, he… Continue reading What Is Trauma-Informed Policing?
Just what I needed
Earlier this month, I celebrated my one-year anniversary at EJUSA in very special company. I attended a forum with brilliant, inspiring people who are changing their communities—our world—every single day. I didn’t know until I was there that it was exactly what I needed. This year has been as hard as it has been amazing.… Continue reading Just what I needed
Punitive Systems Only Create More Cycles of Trauma
Reimagining Justice This Month: September Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Alternatives to Police and Prisons: Activists Share How to Better Address Violence, Teen Vogue Justice reimagined is not only possible, it’s already here. Youth leaders in communities… Continue reading Punitive Systems Only Create More Cycles of Trauma
Victory in NJ
Community members across New Jersey spoke out about funding for violence intervention funding. And they were heard. Earlier in the year, the governor of New Jersey announced a gun safety plan. However, when the state attorney general released the department budget, funding for hospital-based solutions — solutions that work — was missing. After hearing about… Continue reading Victory in NJ
The Movement for Public Safety
Some time ago, we hatched an idea for a handful of videos, narrated by Newark residents, that would tell about the city’s strides on public safety. That idea culminated in late June with a 56-page report and a two-day convening that brought together dozens of Newarkers, including the mayor, and policy experts and funders of… Continue reading The Movement for Public Safety
Newark: A Blueprint for Safety and Healing
Reimagining Justice This Month: June Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence — responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Newark: A Blueprint for Safety and Healing, NewarkSafety.org Newark, as moved through and lived in by its people, is a healing city. It is a city… Continue reading Newark: A Blueprint for Safety and Healing
The Future of Public Safety is Now
What is safety? For centuries elected officials and lawmakers nationwide have grounded the notion of safety in police, prosecutions, and prisons. But are these truly the foundations of safety? When we explore the idea of safety more deeply, we understand that the traditional meaning — based on the absence of harm, danger, or injury —… Continue reading The Future of Public Safety is Now
Fearless Advocating
Pastor Gwendolyn Cook was a preacher before she became a fierce advocate for young women swept into sex trafficking. As a preacher she had the unique position of supporting her congregants in their lowest moments, including while they are in prison. The individuals that stood out to Pastor Cook the most were young girls. Pastor… Continue reading Fearless Advocating